Transmission for slow-motion signs



Oct. 3l, 1950 s. DREws TRANSMISSION FOR SLOW-MOTION SIGNS Fl Dec. 29, 1948 nd S W R mWY R mw mD m 7 W N n0 VO ND w F -a A H SY a. 5. 5, 5 Q1 Patented Oct. 31, 1950 j UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Y Sheldon Drews, Annapolis, Md.

Application December 29, 1948, Serial No. 67,959

This invention relates to slow motion signs in general and more especially to an improved actuating mechanism.

Among the objects of the present device, it is aimed to provide an improved transmission or actuating mechanism for actuating a slow motion sign.

It is `still another object of the present invention to provide an improved transmission or actuating mechanism for a slow motion sign which can be readily assembled, produced at low cost, and which will include a minimum of moving parts.

These and other features, capabilities and ladvantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of speciic embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation vof 'onev embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the same partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 o Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the several parts of this embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly broken away of another embodiment.J

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, there are provided two end brackets or supporting blocks, the rst end bracket I and the second end bracket 2. 'I'he` supporting block 2 is provided with a chamber 3 to receive the motel` 3. The block 2 has an opening 5 in its rear wall t to enable the conductor 1 connected to the motor 'i to extend therethrough to 'a suitable source of current supply. The block 2 is also provided with a cylindrical recess B dened from the chamber 3 by the shoulder 9.

The block I is provided with a recess Ill to receive the tubular bearing II for the pin I2 of the support or sign supporting bar i3. The block I also is provided in the present instance with a U-shaped or horseshoe shape recess I l-to 'facilitate access to the notices Aor signs supported on the bar I3. The bar I3 in the present instance is rectangular in cross section and has at its corners triangular shaped nange strips I5. strips I5 may be secured to the bar I3 inany suitable manner, or may even be formed integral with the bar 13 so long as the portions I5 and I1 of each have a clearance between the free edges thereof and the faces I8 of the bar to receive a notice having print thereon such as the notice I9 consisting of a sheet of paper, Celluloid, or the like, on which the notice is impressed. The pin I2, see Fig. 2, preferably has a collar 20 thereon to form an abutment and engage the outer edge of the bearing II and thus space the adjacent end of the bar I3 from the inner face 2l of theblock I.

The ace 2l of the block I is vformed at the inner 2 Claims. (Cl. 40-33) The 2 f end of the cylindrical recess 22 formed in the block I. The diameter ofthe recess 22 is substantially identical to the diameter of the re. cess 8 in the block 2 so that they-may receive the opposite ends of 'the transparent tubular casing or member 23. Thistubular member 23 may be composed of glass, Celluloid, or any other suitable transparentmaterial. The end of the bar I3 adjacent the motor 4' has in the present instance extending therefrom a fixed shaft 24 having mounted thereon adjacent to the end of the bar I3 the collar or disk 25. Extending from the inner face of the small disk 25 there is provided a gear consisting of four short teeth 26 and four long teeth 21 the short teeth 25 being formed to cooperate with the teeth 28 extending axially and inwardly from the drum 2'9 having adjacent 'the teeth v23 the recess 30 to vcooperate with the long teeth 21. The drum 29 is xeid on the shaft 3I of the motor 4 which shaft 3l extends through the inner disk 32 positioned in the recess 8 of the block 2. The shaft 24 is journaled in the opening 33 formed in the inner disk 32. The small disk 25 is positioned adjacent the central opening 34 in the outer disk 35. The disks 32 and 35 are spaced from one another to position the teeth 26 and 21 of the gear 36 in cooperative relation with the teeth 28 and recess 30 of the drum 29. An examination of Fig. 3 with Fig. 2 will reveal the fact that gear 36 can be quickly assembled into cooperative relationship with the drum 29 by merely advancing thebar I3 with the gear 33 and turning it until the shaft 24 nds the opening 33 in the inner disk 32. The cooperation of the small disk 25 with the opening 34 in the outer disk 35 aids materially in effecting the assembly or cooperative relationship of the gear 36 with the drum 29. The objective in assembling is of course-if the outer cylindrical periphery of the drum 23 is disposed adjacent the opening 33 as shown in Fig. 3, that is with the recess 3l] remote'from the opening 33-to have the inner edges of two adjacent long, teeth 21 engage the cylindrical outer periphery of the drum 29 as shown in Fig. 3, when the shaft 2li due to the cooperation of the disk 25 with the opening 34 will quickly ind the opening 33 in the outer disk 32. Of Vcourse if the recess 30 were disposed adjacent to the opening 33 the bar I3 would only have to be turned until one of the long teeth 21 entered the recess 30 when the shaft 2li would quickly iind the opening 33. v

,The outer disk 32 and the inner d isk 35 ar maintained in spaced relationship to one another by the cooperation of the nuts 31 and the screws 3S, three being shown in the present instance. The screws 38 extend through aligned openings in the disks 32 and 35 into the shoulder 9 of the block 2 with the nuts 31 being disposed between the disks 32 and 35 and'in engagement with the face of the disk 32.

After the disks 32 and 35 with the motor 4 are positioned in the block 2 with the screws 31 positioned in the openings 39, the opening 33 in the disk 32 will be in alignment with the bearing II in the block I that is centrally of the inner peripheries of the annular recesses B and 22. It will then only be necessary to position the transparent tube 23 in the spaces between the outer peripheries of the disks 32 and 35 and the inner periphery of the recess 8, then to position the bar I3 with the shaft 24 in the disk 32 and thereupon to position the block I so that it will receive the transparent tubular member 23 in the recess 22 and to receive the pin I2 in the bearing II.

In this assembled position, the two blocks I and 2 may then be secured in position by any suitable means. In the present instance there are provided the tie rods 49, two in number, which are threaded at their ends to receive the threaded thimbles 4l, having slotted heads 42 thereon. The thimbles 4I in. Fig. 4 are shown in position in the block I to receive the tie rods 40. The block I as shown is provided with two openings 43 to receive the tie rods and one set of thimbles 4I and similarly the block 2 is provided with two openings 44 to receive the tie rods 40 and the other set of thimbles 4I.

The openings 43 and 44 are shown adjacent the lower flat faces 45 and 45 of the blocks I and 2 respectively so that they may be out of the line of vision of the reader of the notices on the sheets I9 when mounted on the bar I3.

Preferably the lower faces 45 and 4G as clearly shown in Fig. 4 would ordinarily be in alignment with one another to constitute the feet or base of the blocks I and 2.

In the embodiment shown in` Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the transparent tubular member 23 will serve as the spacer for the two blocks I and 2 and therefore also position the pin I2 and gear 36 so that it may rotate freely.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5, on the other hand, where the cylindrical member 23 is omitted, there is provided a tubular spacer 41 mounted on the tie rod 48 which extends through extensions 49 and 50 in the upper part of the blocks 5I and 52 respectively with thimbles 53 similar to the thimbles 4I engaging the ends of the tie rod 48.

The motor 4 may be of the light horsepower variety known as the Talk Motors. The shaft as an instance the shaft 3I of the motor 4 may be connected so that it will make two revolutions per minute. In such case obviously, the bar I3 with the gear 36 and drum 29 will complete two revolutions per minute and come to rest eight times for displaying the four notices twice every minute. By actual count it has also been found tubular member 23 and consequently insure an elective alignment of the pin I2 in the bearing I I of the end block I and the shaft 24 in the disk 32 of the end block 2 at all times.

It is obvious that various changes and medincations may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a transmission from an electric motor for a sign, the combination of yfirst and second end brackets with the motor disposed inside of the second end bracket, an inner bearing disk and an outer bearing disk xed to the second end bracket with the outer bearing disk enclosing the motor in said second end bracket, a motor shaft extending outwardly from the motor and journalled in said axially outer disposed disk, a drum disposed between said disks and xed on said motor shaft, said drum having a single axially extending recess and a pair of axially inwardly extending teeth extending from said drum in alinement with the sides of said recess, a support, a pin on one end of the support and journalled in the rst end bracket, the axially inner disk having a central opening, a gear disposed between said bearing disks, iixed to the other end of the support and having an even number of equally spaced teeth, half of which said teeth being axially longer than the others with a long tooth between each two shorter teeth, the shorter teeth cooperating with the two teeth of Said drum and the long teeth meshing with the recess of said drum, said gear having a shaft journalled in that with a gear 36 and drum 29 as illustrated when employed with a motor 4 the shaft of which will complete two revolutions per minute, the display position or position of rest will approximate seven seconds and the movement from one display position to the next will consume approximately one-half second, or a total of sixty seconds Vfor eight successive displays,

In the interest of effecting a free rotation of the pin I2 in the bearing II of the end block I and the shaft 24 in the disk 32 of the end block 2, the tubular element 23 when serving as a spacer will preferably have a friction t in the end blocks I and 2 so that when the thimbles 4I are drawn tight on the tie rods 40, the element 23 will cooperate with the tie rods to prevent endwise movement of the end blocks relative to the said outer disk and removable through the central opening in said inner disk, and a small disk concentric with and xed to said gear between the gear and said other end of the support, the opening in said axially inner disk just clearing said small disk to receive said small disk and cooperate with the same as an index to position the gear shaft in said inner disk and said gear in cooperative relationship with said drum.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the end brackets have cylindrical recesses, the opening in said first bracket for said pin being centrally disposed in the cylindrical recess in said rst bracket, said inner and outer disks being round and disposed in the cylindrical recess of said second end bracket with annular spaces between the peripheries of said disks and the inner cylindrical face of the cylindrical recess of said second end bracket, a transparent tubular casing having a friction fit between its ends and said cylindrical recesses, one end of said casing being disposed between the cylindrical inner face of said second bracket and the peripheries of said disks, and tie rods for securing the bearing brackets to one another against said tubular member with the tubular member as a spacer to allow said pin to rotate freely in said first end bracket and to allow the shaft of said gear to rotate freely in said axially outer disk.

SHELDON DREWS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,623,837 Gutierrez 1 Apr. 5, 1927 1,680,982 Goerk et al Aug, 14, 1928 1,760,746 Chapman May 27, 1930 1,823,075 Wilson Sept. 15, 1931 

